Increasing and reducing joint for electric-wire conduits



(No Model.) I G. LINFORD.

INCREASING AND REDUCING JOINTS FOR ELECTRIC WIRE GONDUITS.

No. 268,081. Patented Nov. 28, 1882.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LINFORD, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

INCREASING AND REDUCING JOINT FOR ELECTRIC-WIRE CONDUITS.

SITEOIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,031, dated November 28, 1882.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, thus. LINFORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Increasing and Reducing Joints for Electric-Wire Conduits; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an increasing and reducingjoint illustrating my invention, and Fig.2 is a longitudinal section ot'the same.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

The main objects to be obtained in joints for electric-wire conduits is to insure perfect insulation, and thus avoid the effect of earthcurrents, and at the same time have the construction such that ready access can be had to the interior of the conduit for the purpose of leading off any required number of surfacewires. Theseresults I obtain by means of what I term an increasing and reducing joint, or one where two conduits of different diameters or cross-sectional areas are connected by flanged coupling collars or bands pierced by one or more orifices for the passage of a surface wire or wires.

I will now proceed to describe my invention, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, A indicates a conduit-section tube for the reception of the wires, which tube may be of any desired cross-section or size, but is preferably cylindrical, because such form is most readily produced and fitted up. WithinthetubeAarearrangedanydesired number of glass insulating-tubes a for the electric wires. These glass tubes care supported by perforated disks 1), which may be made of paper, pasteboard, or other suitable non-conducting material, and serve to separate the glass tubes a from each other and from the walls of conduit A. The space 0 between the glass tubes 0, may be filled with par-affine, bitumen, or other non-conducting material, preferably of a character that can be liquefied by heat and will become solid on cooling.

()n the extremity of the conduit-section A is secured a coupling-collar, having flange 13, preferably by means of a screw-thread, a, in the collar, as shown, though any approx'ed method may be adopted, and said flange is preferably provided with an. annular depres sion or countersunk seat, I), for the reception of a packing, and with bolt-holes for the reception of the bolts by which the parts are so cured.

0 indicates a packing which may be employed to close thejoint. This packing is of any suitable compressible or resilient non-conducting material adapted to fit within the end of the conduit-section A, perforated for the reception of the ends of the glass insulatingtubes 0, and having a lateral flange, c, adapted to fit the annular seat I) of the couplingflange B.

D indicates a second conduit-section of as much less diameter or cross-sectional area as is required to give spacein its coupling-flange for the exit of the desired number of surfacewires. This conduit contains the same glass insulating-tubes, a, perforated separating-disks b, and bitumen or other nonconducting filling in the space 0, surrounding the glass insulating-tubes. It is also provided with a compressible or resilient non-cond uctin g packing, G, which projects slightly beyond the end of the conduit D, but need not necessarily have the lateral flange, as in the case of packing G.

B indicates the coupling-flange for section D, to which it is secured by a screw-thread, a within its collar, as shown, or in other suitable manner. This flange is preferably formed with an annular rib or projection, b the counterpart of the seat I) on theopposite coupling-flange, and has perforations or notches 8 corresponding in number to the number of surface-wires it is desired to lead off.

on and n indicate bolts and nuts, which may be used for forcing the coupling-flanges together. In fitting up the flanges the perforations or notches s for the exit of the surfacewires will be made to register with the outer insulating-tubes, a, of the series.

The devices being of the general character specified, the sections of the conduit may be laid in the usual manner, the wires passed through the glass insulating-tubes a, and the connection of the continuous wires made by twisting the ends of the wires. Where a surface-wire is to be conducted off, the usual gutta-percha-covered or other insulated Wire selected for that purpose is passed in at the exit hole or notch s and connected with one of the wires of the conduit, the surface-wire being drawn in until its insulating-coating fills up and packs in the exit-openings, so that no moisture can enter thejoint. If this is not sufficient, other and well-known means may be used to pack the exit-orifice. The couplingflanges B B are then forced tightly together by means of'the boltm and nut n, and the compression of the flanged packing between the ends ofthe sections, as well as the compression of packing C, will insure a water-tightjoint and perfect insulation of the wires.

It is evident that the flanges B B may be made so thick as to perform the function of and dispense with a distinct collar; but such a construction is not desirable.

I do not herein claim a conduit consisting ofan outer shell or tube, glass insulating tubes supported by perforated disks, and inclosed by or embedded in parafflne or other non-conducting material. Neither do I herein claim the flanged packing, as I do notintend to limit myself to any special construction of conduit or packing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 18-- 1. A coupling for electric-wire conduits, consisting of two inclosing collars or hands, constructed substantially as described, whereby sisting of two inclosing collars or hands, constructed substantially as described, whereby they may be made to engage the ends of two adjacent sections of a conduit, provided with flanges by which they may be bolted together, the said collars being constructed to engage conduits of different sizes, one of said flanges having a packing-seat and the lesser flange provided with ah orifice or orifices for the exit or entrance of one or more conductors, and an interposed flanged compressible or resilient non-conducting packing, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the conduits Aand D of unequal cross-sectional area, of the coup ling flanged band or collar B, having the seat I), the coupling flanged band or collar B, having the projection b and orifice s, and the interposed flanged compressible non-conducting packing G, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony WhereofI aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 14th day of February, 1882.

CHARLES LINFORD.

Witnesses:

F. W. BITTER, J r., \VM. L. REESE. 

